Sunday, March 30, 2014

Wrentham Charter Update, 30 March 2014

On March 11, 2014, members of Wrentham’s Town Government Study (TGSC) appeared before the General Court of Massachusetts Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government to testify on Wrentham’s petition to the General Court for a special act creating a Charter for the Town of Wrentham.

State Senator Richard Ross and State Representative Shawn Dooley introduced TGSC members Jerry McGovern, Deb Torchia, and Dan Vieira to the Joint Committee in the hearing conducted at the Massachusetts state house. The TGSC provided an overview of the Charter petition and answered the Joint Committee’s questions.

Wrentham’s petition is a result of a 91-21 vote by Town Meeting last November to submit the Charter to the legislative process. Following the hearing, the Joint Committee voted to favorably endorse the petition for a special act. The Charter will next be voted on by the full General Court (Senate and House) later this spring. Assuming a favorable vote by the General Court, the Charter question will be placed on the ballot in Wrentham for the General Election in November 2014. If that vote carries, the Charter will go into effect on January 1, 2015.

The TGSC had hoped that the legislative action would have been timed such as to allow the Charter question to be on the April town election ballot. But it was also understood that that would have been a very tight window of opportunity. Having the question on the November ballot provides a greater opportunity to make the public fully aware or the benefits and impacts of the Charter. Once the General Court votes on the Charter petition, the TGSC will provide more updates and specifics on how the committee will enable the public to become more informed about the November ballot question and the Charter.